ENGLISH
REFERENCE

wank

n.
US //ˈwɑŋk// UK //wˈænk// wank Slang Vulgar
Origin

Origin unknown. First known use as a verb is 1905, as a noun 1948. Perhaps compare regional slang term wang, whang (“to whack or beat”). Compare Dutch wanken (“to move back and forth; move with the hands”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Idioms1 entry

Last updated May 18, 2026